We are about 24 hours away from the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns starting the 2017 season in Hammond against Southeastern Louisiana. Since we’re that close to the start of the season, let’s dive into a preview of what’s to come for Tony Robichaux and his staff in 2017.
Returning Starters of Note:
The amount of returning starters that the Ragin Cajuns have heading into the 2017 season is a major positive and it will pay off in a big way for them.
Joe Robbins is at the top of that list when it comes to who will be in that starting nine on day one and he looks to be locked firmly into third base unless something else happens. The senior is coming off of a strong junior campaign with 10 HRs and 37 RBIs.
After falling below expectations, Steven Sensley is coming into his second season in the vermillion and white with his eye on improving on what he did in 2016. “Last year I came here to prove myself” Sensley said during media day of those expectations, “If I went out and played and not worried about the expectations I would have played better.”
The former LSUE player was expected to be knocking the ball out of the park from the outset, but he was still able to put together a good season with a .252 batting average and six home runs. If he’s focused, get ready to see him knock the ball out of the park more often in 2017.
However, Jam Williams is the player that most of the team is expecting to do big things this season. His game has improved and it was largely because of a pair of prescription glasses. According to Robichaux, once he put those on, he got calmer in the field and was able to improve by leaps and bound when it comes to his fielding.
What has been a big part of the Cajuns success in the last few seasons is because of the pitching depth and that seems to be the theme headed into 2017. It’s the usual suspects with preseason All-American Dylan Moore and Gunner Leger leading the pack. As of right now, it seems like the weekend starters will be: Leger, Nick Lee, and Hogan Harris.
It seems surprising that Wyatt Marks would be left out of the weekend rotation, but it seems like Robichaux wants to move him to the bullpen because of him having a high velocity. If that’s the case, then expect to see Moore be used in less of a two innings situation and more of a ninth inning closer like he’s needed to be.
Storylines to Watch:
Being Flexible:
When it comes to the Ragin Cajuns roster, there seems to be a lot of flexibility when it comes to the lineup. Just at first base, you could see Alex Pinero, Brenn Conrad, or Tyler Stover. It seems like you’ll see Hunter Kasuls at shortstop and Robbins is locked in for third so second base will remain a question mark for the time being.
The biggest question though lies in how the outfield will look. The benefit is that there is opportunity for several players to play because of the depth at the position. Look for Williams to be in centerfield once he fully recovers from his minor injury and Stoelke to be used in the meantime.
Who’s the Third Man?
The Ragin Cajuns pitching depth is a major blessing, but there is one major question mark: who will be the Sunday starter. As of right now, it seems like it will be Hogan Harris barring him being called up from the bullpen. However, if you use Harris on Friday against Southeastern then who will be used?
Young Guns:
The Cajuns will have one freshman that many Cajuns fans have been talking about for quite some time and that’s Todd Lott. Lott will start out 2017 as the designated hitter due to his labrum tear. Thankfully, he’ll be ready to go for opening day and once he is fully healed you can expect to see Lott and Sensley be used as the DH.
Another new face for the Cajuns that fans are excited about is Handsome Monica. He came in with a lot of hype along with one of the best names in all of sports. He has done so well, he earned the nod as the starting catcher for opening day.
“He’s done a great job.” Robichaux said of Monica, “He’s an older guy so it was easier for him to pick stuff up. It’s been a work in progress but he’s gotten better from the fall to the spring.” It seems fitting that Monica is the starter as he has roomed with Leger and that’s really helped him get used to the system according to Robichaux.